Is video the right next step for your brand? We share the three foundational questions to ask before investing, ensuring your video amplifies clarity, not confusion.
Video is often seen as the ultimate proof point of a modern brand, a signal that you’ve arrived, that you’re dynamic, that you’re ready to connect. But launching into production without the right foundations is a costly mistake.
Here’s the essential truth: video is an amplifier. It doesn’t create your brand message or audience understanding; it magnifies whatever already exists. That means it can spectacularly amplify clarity, personality, and value. But it can just as powerfully amplify confusion, inconsistency, and strategic gaps.
Before you allocate budget and creative energy, ask yourself these three non-negotiable questions. Your honest answers will tell you if you’re ready for a powerful tool, or if you need to lay more groundwork first.
1. Is Our Core Message Crystal Clear?
Video is a narrative medium. If you can’t succinctly articulate who you are, what you do, and why it matters in a single sentence, a video will struggle to communicate it.
- You’re NOT ready if: Your value proposition is still vague or you’re trying to say everything to everyone. A video that attempts to cover multiple, complex messages will feel scattered and forgettable.
- You ARE ready if: You have a sharp, focused core message, a “North Star” that guides all your communications. You can clearly state the one thing you want the viewer to think, feel, or remember.
2. Do We Truly Understand Our Audience?
Great video speaks to someone, not at everyone. It uses their language, taps into their motivations, and appears in the spaces they trust.
- You’re NOT ready if: Your audience definition is broad demographics (e.g., “women 25-40”). You don’t know their specific pain points, what media they consume, or what tone of voice resonates with them.
- You ARE ready if: You have detailed audience personas. You understand their psychographics, their aspirations, frustrations, and sense of humour. You know where they spend time online and what kind of content they choose to engage with.
3. Do We Know Where This Content Will Live and What It Must Do?
A video without a strategic home is a ship without a port. Its format, length, and style are dictated by its destination and purpose.
- You’re NOT ready if: The goal is simply “to have a video.” You haven’t defined if it’s for top-of-funnel awareness on social media, mid-funnel explanation on your website, or bottom-of-funnel conversion in an email.
- You ARE ready if: You have a clear channel and role for the asset. You know if it’s a 15-second TikTok hook, a 2-minute website explainer, or a 30-second YouTube ad. You’ve defined the specific action it should drive (brand recall, website visit, sign-up).
The Cost of Getting It Wrong vs. The Power of Getting It Right
Investing in video without these foundations creates expensive noise. It’s content that fails to connect, confuses potential customers, and drains resources that could be used to solidify your brand basics.
When these pillars are firmly in place, however, video becomes one of your most potent assets. It can:
- Humanise your brand with authentic storytelling.
- Simplify complex ideas with visual demonstration.
- Build emotional equity faster than any other medium.
- Drive measurable action with compelling calls-to-action.
The decision isn’t if you should use video, but when. By doing the strategic work first, you ensure that when you press record, you’re amplifying a message that is clear, targeted, and destined for impact.
Unsure if your foundations are solid, or ready to amplify a clear message?
Soho Pixels can help you audit your readiness or craft your first strategic video.